Stone Mountain, Georgia

"....let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia."~~Martin Luther King, Jr.

We visited Stone Mountain, Georgia, this past weekend for the first time. We decided to make this trip to meet our friends, Pete & Gabrielle and their children Lia & Krista.
We had hoped to take the RV and stay at the park but we didn't because we had just got it back from service again and the camper had a bunch of ants. So, we decided to drive up for the day only and return home that night.
We left first thing in the morning on Saturday and arrived by 10 am. The weather was gorgeous for the bulk of the day but we did get a few showers in the late afternoon.

The town is named for Stone Mountain, the largest exposed granite dome in North America. Stone Mountain is also the site of a famous giant carving commemorating the military leaders of the Confederacy as well as a state park and museum, including a tourist railroad.

Not longer after arriving we ate the lunch I had packed and then started touring the park. The first thing we did was ride the train. The train stopped at the base of the mountain and in our infinite wisdom, we decided to hike up the mountain. The hike is approximately 1.4 miles and all uphill. It was a bit hot on Saturday as well. The heat combined with the height was not a pleasant experience for Rachel and she made it known to everyone. I believe she screamed for the entire last 1/4 mile up to the top. She didnt like the heat (she's not much into sweating). She didn't like the height. Anna did a good job on this trip where the hike was concerned. Usually, she's not very fond of physical exertion either when it comes to walking. But, she actually did well this time. Despite much moaning and groaning, we did make it to the top. Anna had the most fun splashing in the water puddles at the top! Then, we rode the skylift back down the mountain.

The children were then ready to go play at the various playground areas and the Talking Water Fountain (which we determined didn't talk but shot water out at people). While at the playground, Rachel attempted the rock climbing wall. She made it a little over half way up before deciding to quit. She's not real fond of heights. Anna wanted to do it but they would not allow her to since her shorts were wet. I would've loved to see her climb as well to see if she would've continued to the top or not.

The girls had a blast getting soaked. It was shortly after that when the first rain fall hit. We went to the 3-D movies on site after the playground and then started heading to the barn when we got caught in the rain fall.

We stopped at the covered ticketing area and the girls had a great time playing in the rain. Last up on the list was the visit to the barn where every male who entered became a child again. While there are signs that state "no throwing," every man (and child) immediately picks up the foam balls and starts throwing.

After a full day, we decided to head home around 3:30. We stopped a O.B.'s Bar-B-Que in McDonough, GA. All I can say is, "yummy!" And, since it was Mothers Day weekend, I got my meal for free. It was a yummy dinner and I highly recommend the ribs to anyone traveling through who stops there.